University of Virginia Library

Act 2d u s.

enter Eldred, Edmond, Penda, and Captaine Voltimar
Eld:
Alls well, or dice runne faire ffortune her self
lends vs a lucky hand

Edm:
the kinge throwes on vs
bownties in such aboundance they come rowlinge
like waues on waues, wee know not for what service
vnles because [be] wee brought him like french foote posts
newes of the 2 slaine princes but wee hope
his kinglie largesse is a goulden [hoope] hooke
at wc h some high attempt hangs, & on vs
hee meanes to putt the execution

Vol:
will not you meete his offers

omnes:
oh by all meanes

Pen:
as eagerly as an old Regiment
of totterd soldiers (whoe amon«g[OMITTED]»
«C»arri[OMITTED]s not so much[OMITTED]
a shirts half sleeue) runne on yor fresh blowne troopes
of gallants that come briske into the feild
of scarlett larded thick wt h glitteringe lace
& feathers that plumd estriges out face

Vol:
I am glad since all of you are come afishinge
yor netts are Cast so well

Eld:
pshew beyond fate
& this superfluous dandlinges of the kinge
teach all the Court to daunce vs on theire knees

Edm:
[Eld]
theres not a morninge but wee breake or fast
vppon the salutation of some duke; some earle
greate lord or so, & passinge by good morrow to captaine Gildas

Eld:
the good daie to noble Captaine Vffa

Pen:
oh Captaine Conon
myne Armes are prowd to reach you

Eld:
saies Duke Cornewall
Vffa pray dyne wt h mee—I thanck yor grace

Pen:
saies th'Earle of Chester—Conon [I] prithee see mee
so soone as I ha dyn'd—I Come—discourse
how heere or maine battailia came vpp prowdlie
heere the right wings flew hotly vpp: left heere
[heere wheele a troope of horse]
pell mell, all heere togeither by the eares
heere wheele a troope of horse, the pikes Chardge there
the bow men yonder wt h their showers of Arrowes
gall the braue ffrench Chevalls, as they discend
that hill there, heere or Saxons are at poynt
to flye, or Captaines sweare 'em into Courage
heere they turne head agen, and heere my mounsiers
are malld, and Cry Mort Dieu, then sir I tell him
that in this quarter braue prince Eldred fell
hackt in a thowsand peices

Vol:
so

Pen:
prince Edmond
(his body being nothinge but a signe
hunge at a surgions dore) in yonder Quarter

Vol:
good

Pen:
and afarr off in yon regiment
Penda was Cutt in mammocks, I talke high
some truth some lyes, wc h ended my [eal] earle dropps
20 half peeces for more noyse & number
into my hand, I pockett em

Edm:
soldiers weare never
blest wt h such daies as theis

Vol:
troath so thinck I too—
how shall I gett accesse now to the kinge
for I'me so ouer growne wt h haire, the guard
will take mee for a savage—

florish
Edm:
I'le in and tell him

Eld:
you shall not the labors savd

Enter Kinge; Cornewall and Chester the 3 step to the K
K:
my Voltimar
I will make haste to meete thee, rise; of all
of all those fyrie sperrits that flew to ffraunce
are all to Cinders turnd, but Voltimar

Vol:
noe sir heeres a Messe of vs, sett by for a second service

K:
you weare a vollume of Arithmetique
and now 4 figures are the some of all
I wilbee thrifty and the rest beinge spent
make much of whats heere left mee, art well Capten

Vol:
Sr my sword & I haue tane phisick in ffraunce

K:
ar't full of ffrench Crownes honest Voltimar

Vol:
wee had [h] or hands full of so many crackt one's, the weare not worth
«[OMITTED]C»arrying

K:
«[OMITTED]o»u my brother Eldred when hee dy'd
[OMITTED]him
[OMITTED]es

Corn:
and when my Penda fell

Vol:
yes at my foote hee fell

K:
weare my brothers forward in the battaile

Vol:
as any

Ches:
the ffrench did come vpp brauely; did they

Vol:
like the ffrench

Ches:
wee hard the fight lasted some 7 howers

Vol:
t'was a pritty longe breakefast

Corn:
was the ffrench kinge ith feild in person/

K:
wt h draw—

Vol:
make much of theis 3 men sir

Exeunt
K:
I weare them soldier
as Iewells on my boosome, I had thie Lr̄e

Vol:
twas short

K:
only twoe words: Tis Done

Vol:
& tis done, and almost as quickly done as those words weare read
would tweare to doe agen

K:
whie

Vol:
I would then forsweare writinge that Court hand; 'tis done

K:
dost repent

Vol:

doe not yo
u, would you & I stood vppon equall basses, would I weare yor fellow but for half an howers talke, freely to ease my mynd, my hart
swells it's ready to burst

K:
vnbutton then thie hart, for one half hower
wee are fellowes, Come, be couerd & talke bouldly
whate're it bee tis pardon'd

Vol:

if it bee not I care not, it's but yo
r yea and my nay, yf you sweare I'le sweare as fast as yo
u

K:

well said letts fall too't, Come

Vol:

did not yo
u send mee a letter, wc h did Cry out that Penda was a pernitious trayto
r, that you saw earth quakes ins eyes to shake your kingdome, to tosse yo
u out of yor throwne, that if hee stood you must fa[OMITTED] did not yo
u chardge mee vppon my loyalty to rid him awaie, and in him yo
r feares; ha

K:

tis true I wrott so

Vol:

tis falce what yo
u wrott so; Penda was noe traytor, Penda was honest honor [OMITTED] in all his actions, a souldier the world has noe better, a man mortallytie
has none so good, yett him, would yo
u ruin him, all this heape of admirable buildinge haue I for yo
u demollisht you haue made mee both your butcher and yo
r bawd

K:

Bawd

Vol:

yes bawd, I never was a Carpenter till now, I haue made a bridge of the
husbands body for yo
u to goe to his wife

K:

ha

Vol:

y'are a whore m
r

K:

how

Vol:

a most horrible whorem
r, the divills mr poynt lyes in the Codpeice, & that poynt yo
u haue vntyd, doe you send mee to win townes for you, and you loose a kingdome at home

K:

what kingdome

Vol:

the fairest in the world, the kingdome of yo
r fame, yor honor, yor soule

K:

wherein

Vol:

I must bee plaine w
t h you

K:

so methinks yo
u are

Vol:

Angells er'd once & fell, but you sir spitt in heavens face, euery minute & laugh
at it, laugh still, follow yo
r courses, doe, lett yor vices runne like yor kennell of hounds yealpinge after you till they pluck downe the fairest head ith
heard, yo
r euerlastinge blisse

K:
spitt thie vennon

Vol:
tis Aqua Cælestis, noe vennon

K:
thie half hower is [ov] out

Vol:
turne vpp the glasse agen, I will follow tr«[OMITTED]h»er heele[OMITTED]
beate my gumm in peices [OMITTED]

K:
the barber that drawes out a lyons tooth[OMITTED]
Curses his trade, & «s I[OMITTED]»

Vol:
I care not

K:
because you ha beaten a few base french peasants
mee thinkst thou to Chastize, whats past I pardon
but if thou darst once more bee so vntund
Ile send thee to the gallies

Vol:

noe to'th gallowes, vppon a ladder a man may talke freely, & never bee sent to
prison, I had a raw stomach before, & now tis eas'd hange mee, draw mee
quarter mee, cutt mee, Carbonado mee, this, pish

K:
is yor half hower runne out now

Vol:
yes, yes, I am quiett

K:
prithee noe more of this, thou shalt not aske
the thinge wc h Ile deny thee & since thast waded
for mee thus vpp to'th middle, on now deere Voltimar

Vol:
I, I, ouer shoes ouer bootes, anie thinge, anie more throates to Cutt/

K:
none, only at her fathers winde thie selfe
into this ladies Companie (sad Armante)
shees mad wt h rage, & in her desperate vengeance
may plott against my life, sound her for that

Enter Cornwall— & Chester
Vol:
that all, I am both yor lyne & plomett

K:
I'me haunted wt h a fury yon younge witch
whoe wt h her bastard both laies clayme to mee
& to my crowne, I haue noe waie to scape
from beinge still blasted by her, but to marry
& marry out of hand

Chest:
but wheres a lady, fitt for yor royall bed

K:
a kinswoman to euery one of you Pendas noble wife
whoe dy'd in ffraunce

Corn:
I would shee weare so happie
to haue her losse in him, repaird so fairely

Ches:
theres not a man heere whoe to see his familie
Crownd wt h such royall honors, but would spend
half his estate to grace the nuptialls

K:
it is the voyce of all of you that I
should call you noble kinsmen/

omnes:
Sr of all

K:
wee all must bandy, wt h that faction then
her father & her frenzie shall give fyer to
one blow they haue alreadie, see I haue gott
my contract from her

omn:
keepe it

K:
keepe it noe
Enter Winchester—
in paper I'le noe longer wrapp my feares

Win:
had you none else but mee to brand ith forhead
wt h infamy, wt h treachery, wt h periury

K:
art frantick

Win:
you are so sir

K:
raue thie fill
Enter Colchester & Kent
kings subiects are to none but theire owne will

exeunt: manet winchester
omn:
wheres the kinge

Win:
wrap'd vpp in Clowds of lightninge

Kent
what is hee turnd Ioue,
lett him wee'l thunder too

Col:
wee hard my lord of winchester hee changd
you to a stalkinge horse, you weare his hooke
& yor sweete words the fly at wc h my poore girle
Armante niblinge you strangled her, gott from her
the Contract hee was ty'd in

Kent:
whats done wt h it

Win:
I know not, in sight of Cornewall Chester & others
when hee had baffled mee, made mee his property to wronge the lady
& speakinge home hee bad mee raue my fill
sayinge kings must stoope to none but theire owne will

Kent:
whie then in sight of [Ch] Colchester her father
winchester and kent, (men high in blood as they)
his periurie shalbee his ruin

Win:
or ors
thus I fall from the duty hee has blasted
to[OMITTED]revengd wt h you

kent:
[OMITTED]brace you, meete & consult
«[OMITTED]n»ot the ayre
[OMITTED]ctio« s »lett v«s» all revenge
[OMITTED]ki«ns[OMITTED]»oman [OMITTED]

Kent:
Action is honors language, swords are tongues
wc h both speake best, & best doe write or wrongs

Col:
those tongues shall scould then

exeunt
Enter Voltimar: and Armante
Vol:
the Kinge has done you infinitt wronge

Arm:
infinite

Vol:
& noe question you ha done him some

Arm:
never any

Vol:

noe, yes sure, for had not those 2 balls of wild fire in yo
r head burnt him into dotage, had yo
u not embrothered yor facewt h wanton glaunces, hee had been quiet, your self not tormented, a lady of yo
r birth fortunes, freinds, & sperri«t» yett lett him scape so

Arm:
hee must not

Vol:
Ieere at you

Arm:
hee dares not

Vol:
baffle you & yor noble familie

Arm:
hee cannot

Vol:
what would you say to him should kill this man—that hath you so dishonord

Arm:
oh I would Crowne him
wt h thancks, praise, gold, & tender of my life

Vol:
this is hee shall doot

Arm:
theres musique in the tongue that dares but speake it

Vol:
yor fidler then am I, lett mee see, poniard, poyson, any revenge

Arm:
one step to human blisse is sweete revenge

Vol:

Revenge; tis milke, tis honny, tis balme, delicate in the mouth, pretious in the
hand norinshinge to the stomach life to the soule, so shed is an elixar, so
drunck a Iulip, it fattens, it battens, revenge, oh stay, stay, one question, what
made yo
u loue him

Arm:
his most goodly shape
married to royall virtues of his mynd

Vol:
did it so, & now you would divorse all that goodnes, but whie
for liquorishnes of revenge, tis a lye

Arm:
blesse mee this grim fellow [sh] frights mee

Vol:

Ile not hurt yo
u, for revenge, noe the burr that sticks in yor throate is a thorne, had hee a messe of kingdomes & laid but one vppon yo
r trencher, you'd praise bastard for the sweetest wine ith world & call

Chester: Edm: Eldred & Penda
for [t]another quart, 'tis not because the man has left yo
u but because yo
u are not the woman you would bee, I shoote my boult now to or market whats my wages when I ha done

Arm:
the wages of a slaue (dispaire & death)
monster of men thou art, thou bloody villaine
trator to him whoe never iniurd thee,
dost thou professe Armes & art bound by honor
to stand vpp like a [p] brazen wall to guard
thie kinge & Cuntry, & wouldst ruin both

Vol:

for gold anie, yo
u, him, noe matter whome, doe you clapp spurrs to my sides yett raine mee hard in, am I rid w
t h a martingall

Arm:
hence, tho I could runne mad & teare my haire
& kill that godles man that turnd mee strompitt
tho I am Cheated by a periurous prince
whoe has done wickednes at wc h even heaven
shakes when the sunne beholds it, oh yet I'de rather
then thowsand poysond poniards struck my brest
then one should touch his

Vol:
are you in earnest

Arm:
leaue mee or I shall doe my best to mischeif thee

Vol:
live wretched still then

Arm:
out of myne eye I prithee

Vol:
yor eye—I'me gon—give mee thie goll thou art a noble girle; I did but«t»
the divills ∥te, & rore in a feign'd voyce, but I am the honestest divi[OMITTED]
spitt fyer, nor would I drinck that draught [OMITTED] kings bl[OMITTED]
downe wards for the waight of the world i«n[OMITTED]o»nds [OMITTED]

Arm:
art thou in earnest

Vol:
as you are lady

Arm:
are not you one of the kings «q»ua[OMITTED] pi[OMITTED]

Vol:
I am not, Crack mee, tho my shell bee rough theres a wholesome meate
wt hin mee

Arm:
Ile Call thee honest soldier then, and woe thee
to bee an often visitant

Vol:
yor servant

Arm:
Come like a gentle gale to Coole my wrongs
florish
& Call my roofe thine owne— Exit


Vol:
Ile bee nothinge else

Enter Kinge: Cornewall, Chester, Edmond, Eldred, and Penda; followinge
K:
step you before my lord tell her wee are Cominge— Exit Corn:

pray troble mee not I'me busy

All 3:
you promist vs imploymt

K:
wee ha noe warrs, when the drome beates Call[s] to vs

Edm:
may bee sir you stop yor eares wt h woole & can hardlie heare a soldiers call

Ches:
y'are sawcy

Eld:
sawcy; you allow vs noe [sauce to a] meale to or sawce

Pen:
wee are restiff for want of exercise

Edm:
& pursie at hart for want of ridinge

Eld:
good spurrs clapt to or sides would shew or [mettale] mettle

K: Voltimar:
rid mee of theis flyes tis a summer of peace, & wee more
sickles then swords— exeunt K: & Chester


Pen:
flyes marry buzz

Vol:
ha ha did not I tell you

Edm:
more sickles then swords, [a] hee would haue vs turne reapers

Eld:
noe noe weel fall to thrashinge

Vol:

tis a sommer of peace, & soldiers yo
u may take a purse in winter & bee hangd ere next springe

Pen:

the best is tho hee plucks vs on like straight bootes hee does not yett
complayne where wee pinch him

Vol:

did not I steere yo
r Course well at or cominge out of ffraunce to land you in wales, tho t'weare the fardest waie about

Edm:

a witch Could not haue fore tould the weather better

Vol:

will you gent' then to the twincklinge of that welsh harpe I tun'd for yo
u in Shropsheire or noe

omnes:

by anie meanes

Pen:

whie else haue I theis Lr̄es of Credence from the welsh kinge (Howell by)
name) to bringe only a message of loue vnto Athelstane till the tribute
of wales bee sent, of so many Runts, so many hawkes, so many hounds, so
many pounds of gold & so [may] many of silver, & that wilbee about
a moneth hence

Edm:

yo
r welsh mountaine of aucthority wilbee digd downe to a mole hill before that tyme,

Eld:

walke vppon noe lower stilts then those of an embasado
r

Vol:

Ile fitt yo
u followers, Cuttinge boyes roring soldadoes, that if neede [shall] bee shall eate fyer

[Pen:]

at the end of the last battaile in wales, I drunck healthes in metheglin

Eld:

amonge 'em, neuer mett nobler Companions, & staid so longe, I could gabble
very handsomly, so that for a sentill man of wales, one of my Lord
embassadors followers, if I faile flea mee

Edm:

what must I doe, Ile bee a bowle in yo
r Ally too, but not of yor byas noe welsh I weart in Ireland w
t h the Kernes & galloglasses [I] could I haue good sport yo
u talke of metheglin[ge] Morrogh mac Breean the king of Leinstar dermot kinge of Vlster, w
t h mac dermond kinge of Connacht whoe weare all 3 in thatt battaile against vs, when the fight was done & all friends, so
souct mee in Vsquebagh my very braines burnt blew, so that ifaatla for
an Irishman gett but a taylo
r to fitt mee, & pluck my tongue out if I runne not glibb awaie w
t h it

Pen:

runne whie will yo
u not Come as some greate Irish lord

Edm:

pshew theres noe pleasure in state, I had rather haue a scamblinge
hunters breakfast, then a Cardinalls dynner, lord, noe, only a footman
[OMITTED]to «y[OMITTED]
r [OMITTED]m»bassadorship, I shall not laugh else

«V»ol:
w[OMITTED]er oares wee must row wt h leave mee to furnish
[OMITTED]
[OMITTED]

Pen:
for a Comedy of disguises letts then Arme
wc h tho it doe noe good, can doe no harme— exeunt


Enter Cornwall; and Carintha, Vaild in black
Corn:
the kinge in person comes to Drye your teares
& will I thinck pull you to his royall bed
if hee does, fasten him, tho yor former husband
Penda my sonne, was deere to mee as life
hee cannot bee calld back, yett for his sake
I shalbee glad to see yor fortunes raizd
Ent' Kinge & Chester
—a Queene is a braue name, bee wise & catch
tymes lock if it bee given you—[he] see hee Comes

K:
A pious deede my lord, comfort the sick
shees sick at soule (poore hart) pray dare you trust
the widdow & mee togeither

Ches:
& wish that you Sr
may haue the skill to make those clowds cleire vpp
wc h darken so her bewty

K:
Chester Ile try it

Ches:
a lucky hand may you haue— exeunt Corn: & chester/


K:
dost mourne in sadnes

Car:
doe anie mourne in iest

K:
shine leke thie self & drive awaie theis mists
in wc h I cannot see thee

Car:
tis for yor sake,
I Counterfeit this sorrow that the Court
(espetially old Cornwall, Pendas father)
might not reproue mee for a Carelesse lady
to loose so braue a husband & not weepe
myne eyes [ut] out for him

K:
but I hope thou dost not

Car:
never wett thus much of a handkercher

K:
I gott my contract from yon scouldinge Creature
& that [ty] thine eyes may witnes I speake truth
doe wt h it what thie self wilt

Car:
I'le read it ore, & teare it then in peices

K:
please thie selfe in it
tis to the lords thie noble freinds made knowne
that I wish you my Queene, they are prowd of it

Car:
they are

K:
& give Consent; come, prithee noe longer
lock thie self vpp thus in a tragique roome

Car:
I am now so vsd toot, I could bee content
to lyve & dye heere

K:
out vppon't, what pleasure
Can dwell betwene twoe mellancholly walls
what obiects hast thou heere to feede the eye

Car:
yes rare ones

K:
rare ones—

Car:
see else

shews Penda wt h a Leadinge staff voltimar at his back: his sword in him
K
ha what's this

Car:
by Pendas picture I a workman hird
to Carve that statue for mee, oh sir I pleasd
his father highly in[t] it

K:
but whats hee [th]
that stands behind him in that dangerous posture

Car:
I know not what hee is

K:
noe; tis the shape
of a most honest soldier, his name Voltimar

Car:
I now remember, when I had desire
to figure out that divell wc h slew my Penda
by chaunce a fellow fashiond iust like this
past by, my workman eyed him, & cutt this [OMITTED]
a more illfavord slaue I nere beheld [OMITTED]
& such a one methought was that ro[OMITTED]e
that killd my lord, & so this stands fo[OMITTED]

K:
Alter it prithee, hee whome it resembles
is a most honest man

Car:
is hee; I am sorry
Ile then shew him noe, I ha funerall masques too
of fyer drakes ghosts and witches, & oft tymes
at midnight daunce they round about the roome
to nuzzle mee in melancholly, & so please you
Ile call in one of those masques

K:
oh by noe meanes
I haue [eou] enough of this, one night to live thus
would turne madd, for sake thie Carnell howse
& change it to a Court, the name of widdow
into a wife & Queene

Car:
I shalbee haunted wt h yor old sweete hart

K:
for her head shee dares not

Car:
I am at yor disposure

K
in that word thou dost include thie Coronation
my lords you may Come in now, wee ha done

ent Chester, Cornwall & Voltimar
Ches:
are the fates gentle to you, to spin you golden threds of happines
by marriage wt h this lady; haue you brought her
to handle Cupids bow/

K:
& to shoote Chester
his arrowes too; so you vppon hir lay
noe black aspertion of neglect or lightnes
for hir so suddaine Castinge of her sorrow
for a most noble husband, shee is Content
to fill my Court wt h gladnes by her presence

Corn:
it is a day I wish for

Ches:
so doe wee all,
end heere [then] all rights then of this funerall

K:
& for them Hymen shall by his pure fyers
purge th'aire, & ad new flames to or desires
accompanie the lady—Voltimar:— exeunt ōes manet K: & Vol:


Vol:
thers a welsh [a] embassador sir a cominge

K:
I care not whoe is Cominge; how didst find her

Vol:
full of mischeif, her spittle poyson, breath a whirlwind
words thunder, & voyce lightninge

K:
the furies at my weddinge of this ladie then
will daunce about or Court

Vol:
furies; alas poore doue, shee has noe gall, loues you too well to heare
you ill nam'd; shee sees you slight her, and shee cares not for you, tho
shee bee not full waight, in my Conscience you might putt her away
in game, some younge rooke would snapp at hir

K:
oh Voltimar or gamsters are to subtill
noe man of noate that knows or Court & hir,
will throw at such falce coyne, & her greate hart
scornes to bee passd awaie to a base groome

Vol:

the sound of this welsh embassado
r makes (methinks) such a singinge in my head, if yo
u could fasten this fish vppon that hooke

K:

ha: make ready yo
u yor angell, at the lyne hange lordships, sheires, half yo
r exchequer, to make him byte for hir to make her nibble, lett mee alone to play the flye

K:
my voltimar doe this & thou shalt bee
a sharer in my kingdome

Vol:
half a share shall serue mee— exeunt